JMU Names Partner for Hope St. Bulidings Sale

LIVERPOOL John Moores University last night announced Maghull Developments as its preferred partner for the controversial sale of four buildings around Hope Street.

The Hahnemann Building (42 Hope Street), 68 Hope Street, 2 Blackburne Place and Josephine Butler House (Myrtle Street) are currently occupied by departments from the Liverpool School of Art and Design and the School of Law.

The proposed sale has prompted severe criticism from the Liverpool Heritage Forum as 68 Hope Street was where John Lennon went to art school.

Once sold, the Art school departments will relocate to JMU’s new £23.5m Art and Design Academy which is expected to open next to the Metropolitan Cathedral in 2008.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Brown said: “Naturally, there has been great concern expressed about the university leaving these buildings, particularly 68 Hope Street.
“Despite all of the hysteria that has been generated recently, I can now reveal that LJMU has been working behind the scenes to ensure that 68 Hope Street continues to have a creative output and it is the intention that elements of the building will have a future role in arts education